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You have to feel for the Browns, Jets, and Chicago Bears. Those franchises have spent decades in QB uncertainty, cycling between young players and placeholders. Meanwhile, after only half a decade of looking, the New England Patriots – the after-Brady Patriots – appear to have found the guy.

Half a decade. From Brady through Newton, Jones, Zappe, and Maye's rocky start to now: a young quarterback who appears to be a elite player and MVP candidate.

His breakout performance came last week: a victory away in Buffalo, where Maye went throw-for-throw with the Bills' star and surpassed the reigning MVP in the final period. But Sunday in New Orleans may have been more remarkable. Fresh off an surprise victory over the division favorites, a visit to a lousy Saints team had potential for a letdown. And the Saints threatened early. They ripped off a big play on the opening snap of the game, before stalling out in the redzone and opting for a three points. It took Maye just four snaps to answer, launching a 53-yard deep ball to DeMario Douglas for the leading score.

Drake Maye goes 53 yards deep to Pop Douglas!

It was Maye in peak form, climbing through the pocket to throw a perfect pass deep. From there, he kept pushing: Maye dominated the Saints in every area of the playing surface. His opening two quarters was so impressive that his alma mater was forced to tweet. He ended 18-of-26 for 261 yards with three scores and zero giveaways. And it might have been better if not for a series of questionable officiating calls.

It was his fifth straight game with at least 200 yards and a passer rating above 100. Only the Chiefs' star, the Cowboys' QB, and the Hall of Famer have achieved that at age 23 or younger.

The top QBs convert tough away matches into ho-hum wins. They avoid risky throws, maintain offensive momentum and deliver key passes on crucial downs. The Patriots needed every bit of Maye's flawless play to squeeze by the Saints. They couldn’t run the ball against a strong defensive line. Their defense gave up multiple chunk plays. This was a game that had to be won by Maye's passing. And he delivered under fire.

Maye took hits a several times and sacked once, but the defensive pressure was continuous. It didn’t matter. Maye threw all three scoring throws under pressure, with all three going over 20 yards in the flight.

It's beyond statistics. It’s how Maye carries himself. He’s self-assured and calm in the protection, scanning options to locate receivers. When necessary, he can take off and create with his legs. As a first-year player, he was a little chaotic, fleeing the pocket at the initial hint of danger. But now, he’s been more like Brady, conforming to the structure of the system and delivering the ball to the right spot in a hurry.

For the season, Maye has 10 TD passes, two rushing touchdowns and only two picks. He’s reduced by half his risky play percentage from his debut season, when he was always attempting to create plays out of broken plays. Currently, he’s picking his moments. He hasn’t committed a TWP in three games.

Coming out of college, Maye was billed as a strong-armed passer. Scouts doubted his ability to process sophisticated coverages and operate a detailed system. Overly casual. Overly risky. But Josh McDaniels, in his third stint as New England's OC, has unlocked the full breadth of his scheme. Maye isn't restricted; he’s being relied on. The Patriots are evolving each week again, and Maye is leading the attack like an eight-year vet.

His growth has accelerated the Patriots’ timeline. If there were to be sophomore improvement, you expected it would be a gradual process. There would still exist the spectacular passes, while Maye spent the year trying to cut his mental errors in half. That would be improvement. In contrast, Maye has smashed predictions. Six matches into his second season, he’s turned into one of the NFL's top players – and he’s transformed the Patriots into division contenders once more.

Bears fans will take some comfort in witnessing the development of Caleb Williams. But if you’re a Cleveland or New York follower, you have to cringe. Because this is the ideal scenario when a franchise QB arrives. And for the rest of the league’s quarterback-starved franchises, it’s another example of how cruel and cyclical this game can be. The Patriots went from the GOAT to a potential star in five years. Certain franchises spend a quarter of a century looking – and still don’t find a solution.

Securing a franchise quarterback is about more than winning games. It alters the personality of a fanbase and organization. For two decades, the Patriots enjoyed the gilded life. But the recent years have been about not constructing a bridge from Brady to the next era. They’ve found the answer today. Prepare for your New England pals to rediscover their championship confidence.

Player of the Week

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle. Against a tough Jacksonville D, Seattle's sole option was for Sam Darnold to target JSN, anywhere and everywhere. The wideout answered with eight receptions for over 150 yards and a score on 13 attempts, as the Seahawks snuck past the Jaguars by eight points. Seattle’s defense set the tone, hounding Trevor Lawrence and dropping him a year-high seven sacks. But it was Smith-Njigba who supported the Seattle's attack, accounting for all 117 of the Seahawks’ initial 117 yards via passing. That featured a 61-yard touchdown and maybe the nastiest route we’ll see from a pass-catcher all year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba just beat new Jaguars CB Greg Newsome on his first play with his new squad – a 61-yard TD.

Video of the Week

The Dolphins were on the wrong side of yet another disappointing, last-minute loss. They gained a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Chargers with under a minute remaining, after Tua Tagovailoa found his tight end for his fourth touchdown of the season. The Chargers returned a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. From there, Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey took over.

INCREDIBLE PLAY FROM HERBERT AND MCCONKEY.

Wow. That is mean. Somehow, Herbert escaped two oncoming pass-rushers, slipping past the initial before throwing the second to the deck. He found McConkey in the flat, who put a Dolphins’ corner on skates to move the ball in range for the game-winning field goal.

It exemplifies the Chargers’ season: narrowly winning on the excellence of Herbert and his teammates as his protection struggles. And it sums up the Dolphins’ defense, too: a defensive pressure that can't complete sacks and a weak coverage. With the defeat, the Dolphins dropped to one win and five losses. Miserable second-half collapses have become standard for Mike McDaniel’s team. With another rough loss, he’s running out of time to save his job.

Stat of the Week

Minus-10. That’s the passing yardage Justin Fields finished with in the New York Jets' 13-11 loss to the Broncos in the UK. It’s the lowest in any match since the Chargers had minus-19 in 1998. Back then, the Chargers had a rookie making his third game. Fields was in his 49th.

We know what Fields is now: an exceptional runner who struggles to read the {passing game|pass